Notices
Gas Engines Questions or comments about gas engines can be posted here

DLE30!

Old 06-29-2013, 05:16 PM
  #5126  
ahicks
My Feedback: (2)
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Waterford, Mi/Citrus Springs, Fl
Posts: 3,821
Received 19 Likes on 17 Posts
Default RE: NEW DLE30!

You might try opening the gap to .024-.025? For whatever reason, the wider gap seems to allow the plug to run well in a richer mixture - often resulting in a noticeable difference?
Old 06-29-2013, 08:10 PM
  #5127  
microdon2
My Feedback: (47)
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Whitestone, NY
Posts: 1,895
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default RE: NEW DLE30!

ahicks - thanks - I'll try that.
Old 06-29-2013, 08:54 PM
  #5128  
GSK
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Hamilton, NEW ZEALAND
Posts: 293
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default RE: NEW DLE30!

One thing is to ensure that the HT ignition lead is notStarting to short out on the motor ,
Pay to check that off the list
Graeme
Old 06-30-2013, 04:42 AM
  #5129  
iflywhenican
Senior Member
My Feedback: (1)
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Spartanburg, SC
Posts: 907
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default RE: NEW DLE30!

microdon...Could it be tiny drops of water in your gas mix due to the "ETHANOL" mandate? [>:]
Old 06-30-2013, 08:33 AM
  #5130  
microdon2
My Feedback: (47)
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Whitestone, NY
Posts: 1,895
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default RE: NEW DLE30!

So I checked my DLE 30s' plug gap last night - it was only .010inches!! (much less than the recommended .18"). So I opened the gap to .024" and, today at the field, the engine ran perfectly!! NO missing at all! I've had this engine about two years and this is the smoothest it's ever run. Also started up VERY easily. The CG Sukhoi flew great today. I"m very happy with it now. And now I can move my Sukhoi back it the "RTF" column.

Ahicks - thanks for the tip \ reminder. I love it when a fix works and you've figured out the cause of a problem.
Old 06-30-2013, 09:05 AM
  #5131  
captinjohn
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Hesperia Michigan, MI
Posts: 12,957
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
Default RE: NEW DLE30!


ORIGINAL: microdon2

So I checked my DLE 30s' plug gap last night - it was only .010inches!! (much less than the recommended .18"). So I opened the gap to .024" and, today at the field, the engine ran perfectly!! NO missing at all! I've had this engine about two years and this is the smoothest it's ever run. Also started up VERY easily. The CG Sukhoi flew great today. I"m very happy with it now. And now I can move my Sukhoi back it the "RTF" column.

Ahicks - thanks for the tip \ reminder. I love it when a fix works and you've figured out the cause of a problem.
It only took 2 years to get around to checking one spark plug....I am sure you are not the only one!
Old 06-30-2013, 10:06 AM
  #5132  
microdon2
My Feedback: (47)
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Whitestone, NY
Posts: 1,895
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default RE: NEW DLE30!


captonjohn - I know, right? Part of me feels silly for not having checked that before, but I"m too happy now to let that bother me.


Old 06-30-2013, 03:16 PM
  #5133  
captinjohn
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Hesperia Michigan, MI
Posts: 12,957
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
Default RE: NEW DLE30!

That's nothing, I know a guy that bought a 4 cylinder Honda motorcycle and never checked the oil level. He drove the heck out of it until finally the engine blew up from guess what? No oil left in crankcase. That was a expensive lesson!!!!!!!!!
Old 06-30-2013, 08:16 PM
  #5134  
MTK
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Whippany, NJ
Posts: 5,386
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default RE: NEW DLE30!


ORIGINAL: microdon2


captonjohn - I know, right? Part of me feels silly for not having checked that before, but I"m too happy now to let that bother me.


Heeyyyy, is this a trick comment or did I misread post 5011
Old 06-30-2013, 08:22 PM
  #5135  
microdon2
My Feedback: (47)
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Whitestone, NY
Posts: 1,895
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default RE: NEW DLE30!

MTK - nice catch! Either I had the gap set correctly before and someone banged the plug while it was out, reducing the gap, or I mistakenly set it to .24 mm instead of inches (.010 inches = .024mm) - my feeler gauges show both inches and mm.
Old 07-01-2013, 06:25 AM
  #5136  
MTK
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Whippany, NJ
Posts: 5,386
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default RE: NEW DLE30!

Setting the plug gap is no biggie. But please be kiaful with your decimals, I know what you meant

When one has been at it as long as me (hard to believe it's almost 50 years), one forgets solutions he created long ago. How many times have I re-created the wrong approach to a problem only to finally remember the solution created many moons before. Now THAT really irritates me..... and tells me the noggin is on its way south....LOL
Old 07-01-2013, 08:33 AM
  #5137  
microdon2
My Feedback: (47)
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Whitestone, NY
Posts: 1,895
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default RE: NEW DLE30!

Correction - I meant" ... and someHOW banged the plug while it was out..." Didn't mean to imply someone was sneaking around my build table in the wee hours of the morning....
Old 07-01-2013, 09:15 AM
  #5138  
iflywhenican
Senior Member
My Feedback: (1)
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Spartanburg, SC
Posts: 907
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default RE: NEW DLE30!

Don...You you "banged" a plug...and don't remember it?. LOL
Old 07-23-2013, 08:13 PM
  #5139  
drube
 
drube's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: North Port, FL
Posts: 1,647
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default RE: NEW DLE30!

Sorry for the dumb question.. What size fuel line does the DLE 30 take? 1/8"?
Old 08-02-2013, 02:53 AM
  #5140  
Xairflyer
My Feedback: (1)
 
Xairflyer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Co. Donegal, IRELAND
Posts: 2,760
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default RE: NEW DLE30!

Any drawings available that show size of head distance from head to prop driver etc
Old 08-02-2013, 02:55 AM
  #5141  
DaleD
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: North Lauderdale, FL
Posts: 285
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default RE: NEW DLE30!


ORIGINAL: drube

Sorry for the dumb question.. What size fuel line does the DLE 30 take? 1/8"?
i've used both 3/32" and 1/8" with success.

daleD

Old 08-02-2013, 03:29 AM
  #5142  
ahicks
My Feedback: (2)
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Waterford, Mi/Citrus Springs, Fl
Posts: 3,821
Received 19 Likes on 17 Posts
Default RE: NEW DLE30!

1/8" for me. Got used to it running glow, and with the fact the gassers use so much less fuel than glow, saw no reason to go bigger.
Old 08-02-2013, 06:12 AM
  #5143  
drube
 
drube's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: North Port, FL
Posts: 1,647
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default RE: NEW DLE30!

Thanks guys!
Old 08-14-2013, 02:17 PM
  #5144  
microdon2
My Feedback: (47)
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Whitestone, NY
Posts: 1,895
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default How to rebuild the DLE 30 - Woodruff key, bearings, etc

This past Sunday I had a bad crash with my CG Sukhoi (73") \ DLE 30. I loved this plane - probably my best flyer. Was doing an inverted flat-spin and somehow lost it while coming out. I must have mis-judged and corrected wrong. Anyway, the plane went pretty much straight in to a concrete runway (Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn). A good runway to take-off and land on, but not forgiving in crash situations. The plane basically exploded, including the DLE 30. Both the cylinder head and the crank-case broke. I disassembled the engine last night (after the requisite three days of grieving) and saw that the rest of the engine looks healthy. So I'm going to order the cylinder head and crank-case from Valley View and rebuild, but I can't get the Woodruff key off \ out. Should I heat the drive shaft to loosen the key? And then do I also heat the crank-case to pop the bearings out? Will I need to replace the bearings after heating them? Thanks in advance.

Mike
Old 08-14-2013, 03:04 PM
  #5145  
georgewaldrop
My Feedback: (28)
 
georgewaldrop's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Mustang, OK
Posts: 154
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

microdon2,

I would find a way to check the crank before ordering those parts...if you crashed on a paved surface, especially with direct enough engine contact to damage the cylinder and crankcase, I would almost guarantee that the crankshaft is bent as well..I pranged one into a dirt field, and bent the crankshaft...chances of hitting pavement and NOT damaging the crankshaft are 1) slim and 2) none...I'm just saying...unless VVRC is giving you free shipping, I would wait and verify if the crank is bent/damaged...also, if it hit that hard, the bearings are also almost certainly damaged...been there, done that!

Good luck!
Old 08-14-2013, 03:17 PM
  #5146  
ahicks
My Feedback: (2)
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Waterford, Mi/Citrus Springs, Fl
Posts: 3,821
Received 19 Likes on 17 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by microdon2
(after the requisite three days of grieving)
Mike
Wow, you're hardened. A crash like that would have taken me weeks, if not months to look at!

I'm with George regarding the crank. If you don't have one already, this might be a good excuse to invest in a cheap dial indicator? Doesn't have to be a real good one to tell you if the crank has run out or not. Harbor Freight and Amazon both pretty capable of selling them very reasonably?
Old 08-14-2013, 03:59 PM
  #5147  
microdon2
My Feedback: (47)
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Whitestone, NY
Posts: 1,895
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

George \ Ahicks - thanks for the suggestions. If I do get a dial indicator, how much out-of-alignment is acceptable?

btw - I'm definitely not emotionally over this crash - that's going to take a while (though I am feeling better each day). In fact this plane is still my screen-saver at work. But I live in an apt - ain't got room for a pile of busted-up plane on the kitchen floor!

Last edited by microdon2; 08-14-2013 at 04:02 PM.
Old 08-14-2013, 04:54 PM
  #5148  
iflywhenican
Senior Member
My Feedback: (1)
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Spartanburg, SC
Posts: 907
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Don, you didn't happen to say "hey ya'll, watch this" before the crash did you? Guilty of doing that....I am.
Old 08-14-2013, 05:22 PM
  #5149  
microdon2
My Feedback: (47)
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Whitestone, NY
Posts: 1,895
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

ifly - not exactly. Though I was just telling the guy who was spotting me how easy flat spins are. You just gotta pull out in time.


Uh.... yeah.
Old 08-14-2013, 06:06 PM
  #5150  
cmoulder
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Ossining, NY
Posts: 2,819
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

That is a lot of damage. Even if you replace all the obviously mangled parts, there are a lot of small bits in the carb whose damage may not be obvious but could bedevil you for a long time. Write it off and start fresh IMHO.

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.